I Promise
by the Minotaur
Summary: A demigod's life and story, set during the novels. The companion song is Hallelujah, by Jeff Buckley.


I couldn't understand anything anymore. One minute, my friends were always there for me. The next thing, they were gone. They did care for me, yes, and they wanted me to join them… But I couldn't. Nothing was holding me back. They were the only ones who kept me smiling anyways. But when they left… I could not even smile. And that left me here, unable to comprehend anything.

I remembered from long ago. Such an innocent event, happened on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Just three little kids, who'd just learned about the all powerful pinky swear. Determination in their eyes, they locked their pinky fingers, and created an oath of friendship. One that they'd hold on to their graves.

"I pwomise…"  
"I promise…"

"Me too… I mean, I promise…"

They said in turn. The two boys, my friend and I, turned towards the girl, expecting her to create the oath.

"To always have each oder's backs. To never ever weave one behind. To always smile, when our fwiend is sad, or needs help. To give da best birfday pwesents, and to always be best fwiends."

She told us through an innocent smile, a gap where her two front teeth should have been. Even through the lost teeth we could hear the meaning, the truth, the wisdom, the power. She'd always been the smart one.

But that was then, and this was now. We'd held our promise for so long. It would have been forever. Now fifteen, the two of them had fallen in love. Yes, I was glad for them. Yes, happy that they'd found love, and hope in the world. Yet, I was sad. For you see, I could never tell her how I felt for her. How I was also in love with her. But we were best friends. And we'd made a promise, one to keep. I would never make them sad; not on purpose. And I would never hurt them like that. Yes, I wished that she'd chosen me, but it's much too late now. My chances were long gone, my dreams were fallen, like dust in the wind.

They still included me, of course. But occasionally, I would feel as though they were hiding something from me. As the camp smiled to the great Percy Jackson, saviour again and again, they simply frowned; shaking their heads. I would cast at them a worried glance, though they never notice it. But finally they'd told me their secret. That fateful day changed everything. All that I'd ever known was gone.

"We need to talk." He said. She nodded in agreement. "See um…" He stuttered. She laughed slightly, but her deep grey eyes showed no sense of ease or happiness.

"We're joining Kronos." She stated bluntly, biting her lip. "We want you to come along." All I could manage was a blank stare, my mouth gaping open.

"What?" I asked, to which she simply shook her head.

"Please, come with us. We need you." He pleaded, stealing a glance over his shoulder. I couldn't see what his eyes searched for, but I could figure out whatever it was. Their ride, their new family. And a new life, I suppose.

"I… I…" I stuttered. "Why would you?"

They exchanged a glance, and a pat on the shoulder was all I got. Not a single farewell. And then, they had turned around and left, taking one bag each. I had been left alone. They had disappeared, and it was then that I'd broken down.

I collapsed to the ground, back shaking as breaking sobs racked though my body. I was there for hours. No one found me, not until dark. Someone came along, and they brought me to the Big House. I vaguely remember Chiron, and a few other hazy faces, all asking questions and trying to comfort me, but to no avail. I couldn't hear the words they said. All I could hear was _their_ laughter. _Their_ words. _Their _pleas. All I could see was _them._ My friends, my best friends. My family. Gone.

The subsequent months seemed just as hazy. I was falling behind. Failing activities I had excelled in. I barely spoke to anyone. Soon, I was being herded into a camp van, and then out. And then, we were fighting.

New York was a mess, monsters, and enemy halfbloods were wreaking havoc. And I had just been fighting. Slashed, parried, ducked, dodged and killed. All of my forgotten skills suddenly came back to me, but my mind wasn't clear. Numb as I was, I fought my way past many opponents. And I would probably have gone any further. Had I was not been forced to fight _them._

"Hey." He greeted quietly, eyeing me up and down. With his sword unsheathed, he glanced at my sword tiredly. I nodded at him, and she stepped forward.

"It's not too late, you know. You can still join us." She suggested, but all hope was gone from her eyes.

"You know I can't." I replied, blinking with determination. She shook her head, and they both stepped forward.

"Then we'll have no choice." He sighed. "You should have come with us. You would have done well."

She nodded in agreement, advancing slowly. I knew what they were going to do. But I couldn't fight them. Never. My sword clattered on the ground as I dropped it, the noise sounding louder than anything else.

She pushed me down, and he stepped up over me, his sword at my chest. I took a breath, and then it came down, plunging deep into my chest. Drawing a deep breath, I remembered an oath that three small children had made, on an innocent sunny Saturday afternoon.

"I promise…" I repeated. The last thing I remember was the smiling faces of my five year old best friends on that fateful sunny Saturday afternoon.


End file.
